


Virgin Births

by Merlin Missy (mtgat)



Category: Sarah Jane Adventures
Genre: Gen, Holidays, Misunderstanding About Christmas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-24
Updated: 2013-12-24
Packaged: 2018-01-05 23:34:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1099867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mtgat/pseuds/Merlin%20Missy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"The Baby Jesus died so Father Christmas breaks into your house?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Virgin Births

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RecessiveJean](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RecessiveJean/gifts).



"The Baby Jesus died so Father Christmas breaks into your house?" Sky is pouting, bewildered by the story. The fact that she'd heard it first from Clyde with giggled additions from Rani has not helped.

"No," Sarah Jane says. "It celebrates Baby Jesus's birth."

"But where does the fat man in the blue suit come in?"

"Red suit," corrects Luke. He's Skyping with his friend from school, and has been ever since he got home. "He's watching you all the time to see if you've been naughty." The boy on the other end of the conversation laughs at the last word.

"Why does he care?"

"He doesn't." Sarah Jane hangs another strand of tinsel, fretting. She hasn't done Christmas much, not since Aunt Lavinia had passed away. Besides, Christmas had a habit of being a bit too exciting in the aliens department. Time had been, she would exchange cards with her acquaintances, purchase a nice gift basket for those who needed gifts, and spend the rest of the holiday wondering which species would invade this year. With Luke's arrival into her life, she's been trying harder. The first year, they'd spent with Maria and Clyde and their families wandering between the three houses. The second, Luke had got a fever and they'd stayed in. The third, everyone had briefly been turned into the Master, ruining the turkey she'd attempted to cook.

Honestly, she's been considering cancelling Christmas altogether and taking the kids on a trip to Majorca instead. That's got to be easier than explaining to her new daughter what on Earth a Yule Log is, or a Christmas cracker. She never ever started to lie to either of them about Father Christmas. She's not good at this Mum thing.

"But why do we care when the baby was born?"

"Well." Sarah Jane ponders this. She's been rather uninvolved with the religious aspect of child-rearing, hoping Luke would sort it out for himself and not knowing where to begin with Sky. Unfortunately, she's suspecting this has led to rather less unbiased cross-cultural religious exploration on her children's parts and rather more identifying Gandalf and Darth Vader as their patron deities. She blames Clyde.

Sky is still staring at her. Sarah Jane says, "Jesus was special because many people believe he was born without a father. His mother carried him and had him without a dad, so that meant God was his dad."

"Like me and Luke?"

"No," she replies quickly. "Not at all."

Sky doesn't appear convinced. Already, she's starting to plan what she wants the world to do to celebrate her own unique birth. None of this trees and stars business, Sarah Jane is sure. Possibly disco balls will be involved. Oh dear.

Unexpectedly, Luke says goodbye to his friend and closes his laptop. He's still got a smile when he turns to Sky. "Look, there's two things about Christmas you should know."

Sky gives him that look, the vaguely impatient, vaguely hopeful expression that wonders if this is going to spark another row or lead to some sibling bonding. Sarah Jane discovers she's holding her breath.

"First, you get loads of presents."

"I wouldn't say 'loads,'" Sarah Jane interjects quickly. She's not been shopping much, choosing to aim for a few nice gifts rather than the accidental truckload she bought for Luke's first Christmas. Lesson learned.

"I like the sound of 'loads,'" Sky says. Luke grins back at her. "What else?"

"Second, and this is the best part, it's about spending time with Mum." He turns his grin to her, and adds, "Which usually means spending time with her whilst we're chasing alien threats. Who's invading this year?"

"God only knows," Sarah Jane sighs. Her sigh is cut-off when Sky throws herself into her arms.

"Happy Christmas, Mum!" she says. Sarah Jane pets her hair fondly. "Now tell me more about the loads of presents."


End file.
